Vintage Americana, Cutting Edge Cuisine in Tennesseeby Sonja Albrecht Tennessee is full of vintage Americana. Most people know the state as the epicenter of America’s country, bluegrass, and jazz scene. But with world-class chef schools and acclaimed restaurants, Tennessee has also become a venue for rising culinary stars. Nashville is an exciting place to get a chef education. Food here knows no boundaries. Some restaurants offer a different country’s cuisine every month; others mix and match eclectic tapas. You’ll find Deep South-Asian fusion, with dishes such as tempura crab cakes. New American cuisine is a Nashville hipster favorite, with innovative fare such as pan-seared quail, salmon over charred-tomato risotto, and chervil shrimp bisque. Tennessee’s backroads offer a different sort of chef education. Here you’ll encounter southern classics such as BBQ pork, spoon bread, and collard greens. After the haute cuisine that dominates the typical chef school education, it can be refreshing to roll up your sleeves to the simple goodness of the world’s best BBQ. When your appetite is sated, take a break from chef school and absorb some of Tennessee’s legendary entertainment. Nashville and Memphis are the hotspots for music. Check out the Grand Ole Opry, country music’s mecca. The blues scene in Memphis can’t be beat, and anyone who wants an education in American pop culture should make the pilgrimage to Graceland. A Tennessee chef school education will not only introduce you to classic European techniques, but also to contemporary culinary innovation. Tennessee’s culinary scene, like its music, is uniquely American: an imaginative blend of old and new, high culture and grassroots experimentation. Sources“Nashville,” CitySearch.com About the AuthorSonja Albrecht works as a writer and editor for an online media company. She has also taught college writing and completed a Ph.D. in English.
Posted on December 27, 2006 at 02:43 PM
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